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Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority

A literature search indicates an absence of research into boy’s experiences of physical education (PE) in classes in which there is a significant majority of girls. The aim of the study was to examine how boys in such classes experience their PE lessons. The methodological approach was qualitative,...

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Autores principales: Lagestad, Pål, Ropo, Eero, Bratbakk, Tonje
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8005626/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33790820
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.573528
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author Lagestad, Pål
Ropo, Eero
Bratbakk, Tonje
author_facet Lagestad, Pål
Ropo, Eero
Bratbakk, Tonje
author_sort Lagestad, Pål
collection PubMed
description A literature search indicates an absence of research into boy’s experiences of physical education (PE) in classes in which there is a significant majority of girls. The aim of the study was to examine how boys in such classes experience their PE lessons. The methodological approach was qualitative, and data were collected with interviews of 13 boys in classes with more than 90% girls at a Norwegian high school. The data were analyzed with QSR NVivo 10 (London), focused on creating categories of meaning, in which students’ experiences were taken as subjectively true. The data are based on subjective constructions, which students constructed as part of their own interpretations and reflections on what had occurred in PE at the school. Results of the study came out in the form of three main findings. Two of those relate to a negative experience and the third to a positive experience of PE. The boys mostly felt that they are physically superior and have to consider the girls. Furthermore, the boys reported little challenge and feelings of mastery while being together with passive girls who are allowed to choose the activities. However, the boys found it easier to show off in front of the teachers and classmates when there were just a few boys in the class. The results are discussed in relation to gender-related theory on how the respondents are producing a traditional male gender in PE through their mastery, strength, and ambition to compete. We suggest a new approach of teaching that is more student-centered. A strategy could be to include other activities than sport-based activities into PE – activities that do not require strength and other athletic skills leading to feelings of hegemonic masculinity. A larger focus on social interactions during PE classes – activities in which students’ sex is not as important as in traditional teacher- and sport-centered PE classes, may be a good strategy.
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spelling pubmed-80056262021-03-30 Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority Lagestad, Pål Ropo, Eero Bratbakk, Tonje Front Psychol Psychology A literature search indicates an absence of research into boy’s experiences of physical education (PE) in classes in which there is a significant majority of girls. The aim of the study was to examine how boys in such classes experience their PE lessons. The methodological approach was qualitative, and data were collected with interviews of 13 boys in classes with more than 90% girls at a Norwegian high school. The data were analyzed with QSR NVivo 10 (London), focused on creating categories of meaning, in which students’ experiences were taken as subjectively true. The data are based on subjective constructions, which students constructed as part of their own interpretations and reflections on what had occurred in PE at the school. Results of the study came out in the form of three main findings. Two of those relate to a negative experience and the third to a positive experience of PE. The boys mostly felt that they are physically superior and have to consider the girls. Furthermore, the boys reported little challenge and feelings of mastery while being together with passive girls who are allowed to choose the activities. However, the boys found it easier to show off in front of the teachers and classmates when there were just a few boys in the class. The results are discussed in relation to gender-related theory on how the respondents are producing a traditional male gender in PE through their mastery, strength, and ambition to compete. We suggest a new approach of teaching that is more student-centered. A strategy could be to include other activities than sport-based activities into PE – activities that do not require strength and other athletic skills leading to feelings of hegemonic masculinity. A larger focus on social interactions during PE classes – activities in which students’ sex is not as important as in traditional teacher- and sport-centered PE classes, may be a good strategy. Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-03-15 /pmc/articles/PMC8005626/ /pubmed/33790820 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.573528 Text en Copyright © 2021 Lagestad, Ropo and Bratbakk. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Psychology
Lagestad, Pål
Ropo, Eero
Bratbakk, Tonje
Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title_full Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title_fullStr Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title_full_unstemmed Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title_short Boys’ Experience of Physical Education When Their Gender Is in a Strong Minority
title_sort boys’ experience of physical education when their gender is in a strong minority
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8005626/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33790820
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.573528
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